breaking walls 2016 “Inclusive City” Cape Town

The new breaking walls artists from the three divergent communities here in Cape Town send you their love and respect. We started just 12 short hours ago, and already deep, rich bonding is taking place.

The writing triggers this morning were “In My Neighborhood” and “A Day Without Hate”. These led to extraordinarily passionate writing. As Zennie for Phillippi Township finished sharing her “In My Neighborhood” piece, Jesse from the German International School, with total respect, said, “Zennie is so brave to stand and read first, and to be so honest about her life.”

As the new artists shared their “A Day Without Hate” writings, the phrases “Success is the best weapon against war” and “On a day without hate we will all welcome each other with open hands” resonated with each of our 20 of these amazing young men and women.

Mohammad, our Associate from Bethlehem, Palestine, and our Guest Director, Martha from Berlin feel more like U.N. Good Will Ambassadors every moment.

Today we started our rehearsal process. I must admit that choosing Martha (from Berlin) as our Guest Director is a stroke of genius. With our amazing Mohammad as my right hand man making every minute so much more successful what a lucky director/founder I am.I wish you would have seen Mohammad this morning leading the group warm-up — what growth and presence this young man has made on our behalf.

Each new artist is working so hard to ensure that tomorrow’s performance makes a powerful impact on their audience. I may or may not have mentioned that we are including our first Special Needs artist in Cape Town. In addition to guiding three struggling/clashing groups of young men and women to success, we are embracing Liam. I mean that from the bottom of my heart — everyone has accepted and respected and watched for our dear Liam. His mom emailed us that she wanted to visit on Friday for rehearsal (Liam has never been away from home before this), and she did not arrive because she said she trusted breaking walls to keep him safe in every way after Liam called home with such happiness in his voice.

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“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

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Teens in Syria

August 19, 2016 THE DATA TEAM
"A SURVEY released this month tries to find out what life is like for Syrian teenagers. As part of a UN initiative, Mercy Corps, a charity, managed to interview 120 teens, along with 200 or so parents and local community figures. Even in relatively safe areas, some of the interviews had to be finished in the street after buildings were shelled. But the authors also spoke to teens in more dangerous places - territories still changing hands between government and opposition forces, or where the opposition has fully taken control. (The latter, subject to brutal regimes as well as devastation, are often worse than the areas under siege.)"

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2017 CONNECT * CREATE * CHANGE Indiegogo Campaign

Our director/founder, Fran Tarr, is excited to share that your ongoing belief in and support for Breaking Walls fuel our forward movement!!
TWO-WEEKS from today we will seek your support again for our our 2017 CONNECT * CREATE * CHANGE INDIEGOGO CAMPAIGN!!
Your contributions will empower the lives of 40 Breaking Walls artists, ambassadors and associates from 7 communities over 10 days!
Breaking Walls 2017 Warsaw - the sixth annual initiative will consist of community-building, creative writing, creation of a theater piece, and a culminating performance for a live audience, plus the opportunity to share face-to-face dialogue and life experiences as a creative community. The 28 artists, nine ambassadors and three associates from Barcelona, Berlin, Bethlehem, Brooklyn, Cape Town, Detroit and Warsaw will come together for ten days to write about issues of self awareness, freedom of expression and how to shape an accepting, peaceful world. Additionally, our artists, ambassadors and associates will contribute one full day of community service to Warsaw.
Your support will go far beyond nutritional meals, a safe place to stay as a creative community and cultural excursions as a global family – it can change the direction of a young person’s life for each our 40 artists, ambassadors and associates participating our 2017 Warsaw initiative!!!
WATCH FOR OUR INDIEGOGO LAUNCH ON TUESDAY, APRIL 25!